Switching device.



D. D. GORDON.

swlTcHlNG D`Ev,|cE.

APPLICNI'NN FILED MAY l2, 1913.

Patented J uly 13,1915.

, UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE.

DAVID D. GORDON, or cHIcAGdILLI'NoIs, AssIGNoE To AYOsT ELECTRIC MANUFAC- TUBING COMPANY,;OE TOLEDO, OHIO.

. SWITOHING DEvIoE specification of Leiters Patent. I Patented July 13, 1915.

originan application inea october '5, 1911, serial Na 652,943. Divided and this application niaiinay 12,

` 1913. seriaiNp. 767,041.

cise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification.

My invention relates to switching devices and has for itsobject the provision of a device of this character of the quick make and quick break variety, and in which the number of' parts requiredis reduced to a minimum.

My invention is of a broad character and can be used ina variety of different forms of switching devices, but I 4will herein d.e scribe one specific form of myinvention as applied more particularly to a pendant switch, although not in any way intending thereby to limit'myself to such application or tothe particular form of the switching vdevices utilized as my form of switch mech- Aanism is applicable to socket switches, wall vswitches and in fact any form Vof allied f switch mechanism.'

My invention herein is a divisional application of my application Serial No. 652,943", filed October 5, 1911, which issued March 9,

1915 as Patent No. 1,131,129 in which this' particular'form was first presented.

The particularfform of my invention herein shown, I- will now describein connection with the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1is a sectional view ofl a pendant switch constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a similar view to Fig. 1, the parts being-shownY in alternativeposition; Fig. 3 is a' sectional view on line c- -0 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line b-b of`Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 isa top-view of the device with the cover removed:

Referrin to Figs. 1 to 5 my lmproved switching evice has a body portion 18 'to which any suitable rotatable member may be" secured or mounted, `which rotatable member by its rotation effects a quick vmake and quick break between switch elements, one of which switch elements is movable, being in this case shown as a ball 12. The ball 12 isdesigned to occupy one of two alternative positions depending upon the position of the rotatable element, in this instance the cap 20. This cap 2O through the interposition of a suitable spring 13, coiled in this instance, effects a snap action movement of the ball 12 to make the circuit'between said ball 12 and terminals 5 and 6, or to move this `ball 12 away from these terminals into the position shown inFig. 2 in which the circuit through the terminals 5 and .6 yis open. The reason for using the cap 2O to eifect the'operation of th'e ball 12 is that the form of switching device herein illustrated is a pendant switch and a structure of this klnd is veryhandy to operate the switch element l2. Whenever the element 2O is rotated for instance, from the position shown in Fig 1 toward the position shown in F i g. 2, then at some point the spring 13 will pass beyond the position of dead center and as soon as this position is passed, the ball 12 will be snapped into the alternative position shown in Fig. 2. When the element 20 is again rotated from the position of Fig. 2 until the spring 13 passes the dead center, the ball 12 is snapped back into the position of`Fig. 1. The recess 23 which carries one extremity ofthe spring 13, of course, moves around the path of a circle, whereas the ball 12 moves along a straight line path illus'- trated more in detail in Fig. 3 where a grooved portion 24' or runway is shown along which this ball travels.

I am thus enabled to transform a rotary motion' of` an .element into rectilinear or similar movement of another element to ei'- fectv quick make and quick break between switching elements. The rotatable element 20 has a grooved portion 21 and is held in.

the body portion 18 by means of the U- shaped holdin element 22 whose tines project through t ie opposite walls of the body portion 18 as shown more clearly in Figs.

2 and 5. The terminal wires 9 and 10 which extend to the interior of the .pendant switch are held by means of screws 7' and 8 to contact terminals 5 and 6, which contact terminals project into the Arunway or groove 24 provided forthe ball 12. A slight indentation at 25 is provided for the ball 12 at that portion of its stroke where it engages thc' terminals 5 and 6 to more thoroughlyhold it linits limiting -positiori at that point.

The ball l12 thus slides transversely across the element 18 within the groove 211 and by'Letters Patent is:

recess 25. Thus when the element is rotated the ball l2 is snapped from one limiting position to the other. I am thus enabled to get asnap action of this ball l2 by rotating a suitable controlling element instead of reciprocating the controlling element as shown in my said cofpending application; l

-I have herein shown and particularly descrbed one embodiment of my invention, an v What I claim as new and desire lto secure l. A device of the character described having a contact terminal, a contact element for said terminal, a coiled resilient member engaging said element, and means rotatable in either. direction of rotation to compress and rotate. the free end of said resilient member in a plane substantially at right ,anglesto its longitudinal axis to and beyond its position of repose to thereby effect change of operative position of said element l-by snap action to thus obtain both a quick make and a quick break.

2. A device of the character described having a contact terminal, a reciprocatory contact element-for said terminal, a coiled resilient member engaging said element, -and means-rotatable in either direction of rotation to compress and rotate the free end of said resilient member in a plane substantially at right angles. to its longitudinal axis to and beyond its position of repose to.

tliereby e'ect change of operative position of said element by snap action to thus ob- .A

tain both a quick make and a quick break.

3. A device of the character described having a contact terminah a reciprocatory contact element moving along' a confined path for said terminall a coiled lresilient member engaging said element, and means rotatable in either direction of rotation to compress and' rotate the free end of said resilient member in a plane substantially at right angles to its'longitudinalaxis to and beyond its position ofreposeto thereby eflfeet. change of operative position of said element by snap actionto thus obtain both a quick make and a quick break.

4. An electric switch mechanism' having a rotatable control part, a switch' shiftable across the axis of rotation of said part from4 one sideto the other thereof, and a normally distended compressible connection between said part and piece yieldablerelative to each,-r

said connection .eifecting a snap action i movement of said piece 'when.the control part is rotatedin either direction.

5. 'An .electric switch mechanism having a rotatable control part, a switch piece shiftable across the axis of said part, and a shifting connection between said part and i piece and yieldable relative to each spacing` the same inaxial relation to the part and operable by a rotation ofsaid partto imersI part snap action shifting movements to'said switch piece.

6. An electric switch mechanism havinga- An electric switch mechanismihaving a `ing aconned path of shifting movements y i transversely of the part axis, and ayielding compressible connection between said par-t,

and piece cooperating with saidpart upon a connection` which respectively engage the part4 and piece having-different lkindsofmovement during the switching actiom".

l rotation thereof to impart snap action shiftl ing movements to saidpiece, the ends of said .f f

8. An electric switch mechanism having a rotatable control part, a terminal bridging piece spaced from said.` control part longitudinally of its axis and shiftable ,transverselyv of said axis, and a coiled compression spring having one lend thrust against said vpiece'l and itsother end thrust against said part at one side of its axis and lcoperatin'g'withr4 said part upon a turning thereof to impart. rsnapping action switching movements to said piece. l v l 9. An lectric swltch mechanism havln 'a rotatable control part, -an abutment mem er movable upon a movement of saidcontrol part, a terminal bridging piece spaced from said member longitudinally of "the axis of said control part and shiftable transversely 'Y of said axis, a'nd a coiled compression spring havingf'one end thrust against said bridging piece andits other end thrust against `said abutmentvand operable to shift the positions lof said bridging pieceupon predetermined movementsof said abutment. Y i

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribev my'name this 29th day of April, A. D.,

DAVID D. GORDON..

Witnesses:

A. L. JoNEs, I-IAzEL ANN JONES. 

